


Rambling Whilst Rambling

by black_rose4



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-04
Updated: 2016-05-04
Packaged: 2018-06-06 11:03:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6751396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/black_rose4/pseuds/black_rose4
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i> It’s an ideal sort of day for a change. No radstorms, no rain, no sweltering heat. It’s sunny and warm, but with a slight overcast of clouds and the occasional cool breeze if you stand around long enough. All in all, ideal weather for hiking.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Charlie’s managed to get the two of them to come along today, Preston a lot more willingly than Shaun. He’s not taken to this like he has fishing, but perhaps with better weather and a nicer route, Shaun will come around. And if not, well then they’ll simply have to go fishing more often.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>She’s been up here a few times, especially recently. The paths behind Sanctuary are always quiet, too far out of the way for most raiders and other possible threats to bother her, so there’s little need for her gun. Still, Charlie carries her 10mm just in case, as does Preston. </i>
</p><p>Charlie Woods spends some quality time with her partner and son. </p><p>My half of an art/fic trade for @wardenkader over on my tumblr. Charlie is her Sole Survivor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rambling Whilst Rambling

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wardenkader](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=wardenkader).



It’s an ideal sort of day for a change. No radstorms, no rain, no sweltering heat. It’s sunny and warm, but with a slight overcast of clouds and the occasional cool breeze if you stand around long enough. All in all, ideal weather for hiking.

Charlie’s managed to get the two of them to come along today, Preston a lot more willingly than Shaun. He’s not taken to this like he has fishing, but perhaps with better weather and a nicer route, Shaun will come around. And if not, well then they’ll simply have to go fishing more often.

She’s been up here a few times, especially recently. The paths behind Sanctuary are always quiet, too far out of the way for most raiders and other possible threats to bother her, so there’s little need for her gun. Still, Charlie carries her 10mm just in case, as does Preston.

As they walk they pass the familiar sights of Charlie’s past. The playground the local children would all play in together while their parents sat and caught up. The pond where they would go fishing – she’d thought to take Shaun there, but the mirelurks spawned in abundance there and made it too risky. The patch where she and her sisters used to go out shooting for target practice – _not quite as essential back then as it is nowadays_ , she explains, _more like friendly competition_.

“This place used to be so different. Lots more people, none of them trying to kill you. Lots of families and children running around. Lots of people walking dogs. The usual, really. Nothing like it is now.” 

She laughs to herself at an old memory and Preston shoots her a puzzled look. “What is it?”

“I was just thinking about the old Mr Handy that ended up with his own dog-walking business. So many people had dogs around here, but plenty of ‘em were lazy or too busy to take their dog for a walk. So one of the guys in town had the bright idea of sending their Mr Handy unit off with their dog for his daily walk. The dog still got its exercise and they didn’t have to lift a finger. Soon other people were bringing their dogs to him and his poor Mr Handy unit ended up with half the neighbourhood’s dogs attached to his appendages.”

Beside her, Shaun pipes up. “What happened to him?”

“Well, the dogs hated the arrangement and by the time anyone bothered to look for the Mr Handy unit, he was tied by all the dogs’ leashes to a tree, begging anyone who passed by to free him. He was very sorry for the whole mess, even though it was hardly his fault.”

The laugh that bursts from Preston’s lips is loud and joyous, and Charlie can’t help but smile at the sound. “Damn, you always have the best stories. I wish I could’ve seen things as they were back then. They always sound so nice the way you tell it.”

“I’m sure that’s just my nostalgia talking.”

“No, I’m serious. Everything you’ve told me puts this place in a whole new light, one far better than I’d ever imagined just by looking at the scraps of old flyers lying around.”

“It must have been really nice before.” Shaun smiles up at them both. “We never learned much about how things were in the past. It wasn’t deemed necessary. But this is all super interesting, way more than what Father used to teach me.”

Charlie ruffles his hair. “Well ya know I’m happy to teach ya anything you wanna know about. If I can, anyway.”

Suddenly, an idea strikes Preston. “Say, don’t you have a load of old comic books lying around? He could pick through some of those, see what takes his interest. And if there’s anything in particular he wants to learn more about, we can always keep a look out for any other books like it as well.”

Shaun’s beaming grin is answer enough for Charlie. “That sounds like a great idea. Thanks Preston.”

He tips his hat and nods. “Anytime.”

The rest of the walk is spent trying to remember what reading material Charlie already owns, how much of it is actually child-friendly and Shaun protesting that he’s old enough to read it, regardless of its contents – and Charlie and Preston disagreeing with him.  

By the time they work their way back to Sanctuary, the sun has started to set and the bugs are coming out. Preston takes care of the few that follow them as Charlie ushers Shaun towards the shack they call home, back to safety.

It takes a short while for Preston to return; when he does, he has a large box in his hands. “I thought I’d save you some time and go fetch this.” He sets the box down in the middle of the room and Shaun rushes to see what’s inside. Charlie follows after, slowly. “Dig in kid.”

Shaun begins pulling out the contents eagerly, looking at each comic one by one, skimming over the cover and blurb on the back. He stops after a few and Charlie looks over and takes note of the title on the cover: TESLA. She makes a mental note to see if she can find any more like it on her travels.

Clear that Shaun’s happy where he is, Charlie leaves him to it and joins Preston on the couch. She kicks off her boots and settles back, sighing contently as she does so. “He didn’t seem to hate it today.”

“He still prefers fishing, I can tell you that.”

Charlie chuckles. “Look, he didn’t complain half as much as the first time we took him hiking, so if nothing else _that’s_ an achievement.” And glances over to where he’s still sat cross-legged on the floor, still rummaging through the box of magazines. “And we’ve found more stuff for him to pick through. Though I get the feeling he’s gonna want more hotplates to tinker with soon.”

Preston looks over to see Shaun intently studying the science magazine he’d picked up earlier. “You know, I think you’re right.”


End file.
